Rustles of Spring

A very unusual, cold and damp Winter is slowly giving way to Spring. It is happening swiftly, as it often does in these climes. In just a few days camellias that have sat for months suddenly burst into bloom. Some of the ones that rarely have more than a few blooms seems to be especially enthusiastic this year. I have one called Professor Sargent, a favorite of my father when we lived in Alabama. It is crimson, with a carnation like center, surrounded by single petals. A rhododendrum nearby is almost the same color, and it is called Nova Zembla. It has led many lives, either in robust health, or slowly fading away. It should be called Nova Vita, since it roots easily if a branch get covered up. I saw it struggling away at Callaway Gardens, the same year mine was rampant with bloom.

Flowering quince is always a joy, and this year it came out very slowly, and is now full of bloom. I noticed it planted along Leesburg Road, just as it starts past the Vets Hospital. It was interplanted with small firs, and looked stunning. A sign just there says "Welcome to the Lower Richland Community". It always make me smile, as if we are a lost part of the Midlands (which suits all of us just fine).

My pansies didn't thrive in the snow and ice, so now I have replanted, mostly from the "give away section" at Lowes. There is something satisfying about rescue. From a point of last hope, you revive and make useful. Teaching taught me alot about that. I had some students show up from poor experiences elsewhere, and I always made a point of saying I was their Last Hope. Do What I Say, and Show Up Faithfully. That is always a good recipe.

So now I am waiting for the tulips, which I plant in pots to discourage the moles and squirrels. They don't last long, but they are so majestic, and have unearthly colors. Just a few in clumps here and there can make a fiesta out of your garden.